Portable elevator



Dec. 4, 1945. R Q ADAMS 2,390,286

' PORTABLE ELEVATOR 7 Filed Dc. 6, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 170k? 7" ajimmy,

Patented Dec. 4, 1945 UNITED STATES tATENT OFFICE PORTABLE ELEVATORRobert Clinton Adams, El Cerrito, Calif. Application December 6, 1944,Serial No. 566,788

4 Claims.

This invention relates to grain loaders, and more particularly to aportable grain loading mechanism.

A main object of this invention is to provide a portable grain loadingmechanism which can be used to elevate grain piled at ground level andtransfer the grainto a bin or receiving truck with aminimum ofshoveling,

A further object of this invention is to provide a portable grainloading mechanism which can be used to transfer grain from a bin orhopper and convey it to a receiving truck or receptacle.

A further object of this invention is to provide a portable grainloading mechanism which can be conveniently adjusted to meet loadingrequirements.

Further objects of this invention will become apparent from thefollowing description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings,wherein:

'Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the portable grain loading mechanismof this invention in operative position with part of the conveyor memberbroken away to show the internal strucmm.

*Figure 2 is a Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2, showing thedetails of the scoop conveyor elements according to this invention.

Figure 4 is a sectionalview showing the details of the junction betweenthe scoop conveyor and the riser conveyor of the loading mechanism ofFigure 1.

t Figure 5 is a detail view showing the lifting mechanism for theloading scoop.

Figure 6 is a view, partly in section, of a conveyor element as employedto convey the grain from "a bin or hopper in accordance with theteachings of this invention.

Referring to the drawings, l designates a motor truck chassis providedat its rear portion with a bracket structure 2 comprising hollowvertical posts 3 and horizontal cross bars 4 rigidly united and firmlysecured to truck chassis I. Slidably mounted in vertical posts 3 are apair of L-shaped frame members 5 provided with rack elements 5 on theupper portions thereof. Integrally formed on each of the posts 3 is anextension 1 upon which is journaled a pinion 8 operatively engaged withrack element 6, the pinplan view of the mechanism of ions 8 beingsecured to shaft 9, journaled in the respective extensions 1 and havinga crank I at one end thereof for manual actuation of the rack and pinionmechanism to raise frame memiii bers 5. A locking dog H is pivotallymounted on each of the extensions 1, and is formed with a locking toothto engage the respective pinions 8 to normally lock the liftingmechanism. By manually raising locking dogs I I, the mechanism can bereleased.

The horizontal lower arms of frame members extend rearwardly and carry aplatform on which is mounted a prime mover l2 :and supporting bracket I3in which is journaled a shaft [4 carrying a helical conveyor worm l5.

Extending transversely of the main platform and containing worm I5 is ascoop member 16, comprising a flat bottom portion 55, a substantiallyvertical rear wall portion 48a and a pair of triangular side wallportions 48 and 49. The angle of elevation of scoop member [6 can' beadjusted by the operation of an adjusting linkage comprising hand leverl'l, pivoted to the main latform and link l8 connected between handlever I1 and the vertical wall portion 48a of scoop [6. Hand lever l1isprovided with a conventional pawl and ratchet locking mechanism whichcan be released by grasping the hand lever when it is desired to changethe angle of elevation of scoop IS with respect to the main plat-form.

Helical conveyor worm I5 is provided with a substantially cylindricalhousing I9, a portion of which is adapted to swing open to the dottedline position shown in Figure 3. Portion 20 extends substantially thewidth between the walls of scoop member l6 and is manually raised toexpose the conveyor worm after the scoop has been adjusted to operatingposition.

Adjacent the vertical triangular walls 48, 49 of scoop member l6,housing I9 comprises cylindrical portions 50 and 5|. Port on 50terminates at Wall 48 and shaft l4 passes through an opening thereinproviding a journal bearing for scoop 15 at that point. Cylindricalportion 5| passes through wall 49 of scoop l5 and extends a shortdistance beyond, being rotatably received in a laterally extendingcylindrical extension 52 of a cylindrical riser housing 34 whichcontains a worm conveyor 33. A bracket member 54 is employed to clampportion -5I to the main Platform. Wall 49 of scoop'l6 is journaled oncylindrical portion 5| at the point of passage of said cylindricalportion through wall 49, Scoop is may thus be rotated to vary its angleof elevation.

' Worm I5 is actuated from prime mover l2 by a conventional belt andpulley arrangement comprising a driving pulley 2| mounted on the primemover shaft, a belt 22 and a pulley 23 mounted on a countershaft 24supported in appropriate hearings on brackets mounted on the mainplatform. At one end of countershaft 24 is a drive pulley 25 connectedby a belt 26 to a pulley 21 operatively secured to worm shaft l4.

The other end of countershaft 24 is provided With another drive pulley28 connected by a belt 29 to a pulley 30 geared by bevel gears 3|, 32 toa riser worm conveyor 33 extending upwardly in inclined cylindricalhousing 34 and supported therein by appropriate bearings. Cylindricalhousing. 314 is supported in its inclined position by a laterally offsetvertical bracket member 35 rigidly supported on truck chassis l andpro-- vided at its upper end with a slotted abutment portion 36 againstwhich housing 34 is supported and to which said housing is adjustablysecured by a split collar 31 whose ends are pinned together by a bolt,which also passes through the slot. in abutment portion 36.

The upper end of housing 34 carries a spout element 38 for deliveringthe grain to a bin or vehicle.-

The operation. of the loading mechanism. is as follows: The truckchassis is positioned so that its rear portion is adjacent a heap ofgrain 56 which is to be transferred to a bin, or vehicle under spout 38.Locking dogs H are released allowing the frame structure carrying thescoop member 16 to be locked. Hand lever IT is actuated' to adjust scoopmember Hi to a desired depressed position and the truck chassis isbacked into the pile of grain 56 after starting prime mover t2 andraising the cover portion 29 of worm Hi to the exposed position. Asscoop I'6 digs intov the pile of grain 56, the grain is caught up byworm I5 and transferred through the worm housing 9 to riser worm 33,which carries the grain'upwardly through riser worm housing 34 todischarge spout 38 fordelivery to the receptacle positioned beneath saidspout. This process may be continued until substantially the bulk of thegrain has been transferred from the heap, the

remaining small quantities being shoveled into the scoop I61 so as to becaught up by worm I15.

The bottom rear corners of the horizontal lower arms of the L-shapedframe. members are rounded off", as. shown at-39, to provide a skidstructure whereby truck chassis I may be backed intothe heap of grainwith a minimum of friction from the ground. The front corners aresimilarly rounded at 40 so that the truck chassis may move back andforth as required without the necessity of raising frame members 5'.

The slot in bearing portion 35 allows limited movement of riser housing33 as frame members 5- are raised or lowered. The rotatable fit betweencylindrical portion 51 and extension 52 permits free angular movement ofriser housing 34' during the raising or lowering of said frame members.

In Figure 6, an attachment is disclosed which may be used in conjunctionwith the loading mechanism of this invention, for conveying grain from abin or'hopper to a desired receptacle. In place of the worm [-5 andscoop [6, a series of conveyor worm sections 4!, joined by universalcouplings 42 and appropriately provided with housing sections, 43connected by accordion joints 44, to give the desired length, may beemployed.

The loading end is provided with a scoop member 45 which fits into anopening 46 in the grain bin 41. The unloading end may be connected toriser conveyor worm 33 and actuated by a belt and pulley arrangement inthe same manner as disclosed for connecting and actuating worm I by wayof spout 38.

IS in Figures 1 to 5. As long as the grain level in bin 41 is above thelevel of opening 46, the mechanism of Figure 6 may be thus employed totransfer the grain to riser worm 33 and riser housing 34, and thence tothe desired receptacle While specific embodiments of this invention havebeen disclosed in the foregoing description, it is to be understood thatvarious modifications may be made within the. spirit of the: invention.Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the inventionother than as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A portable grain elevator for elevating grain piled on the ground anddelivering it to a desired receptacle comprising a mobile chassis, aplatform at. the. rear of said chassis, means for raising or loweringsaid platform with respect to said chassis, scoop means adjustablymounted on said platform and adapted to be adjusted to: substantiallyground-engaging position when the platform is lowered, a worm conveyorextending transversely of said scoop means and positioned therein, saidworm conveyor being adapted to catch up grain forced into said scoopmeans when the mobile chassis is moved rearward-1y with'the platform andscoop means in depressed positions into a pile of grain on the ground,and a riser worm conveyor communicating with said transverse wormconveyor and supported in vertically inclined position with its upperend adapted to be positioned over the receptacle. into which it isdesired to deliver the grain.

2'. The structure of claim 1, and wherein said platform is provided atthe bottom thereof with skid means adapted to rest on the. ground whenthe platform is in lowered position, said skid means having roundedforward and rear edges to minimize ground friction when the chassis. ismoved forwardly or rearwardly with the platform in lowered position,

3. The structure of claim 1, andv wherein means is providedfor normal-1yclosing off said transverse worm conveyor, said closing means beingadapted to be openedv to expose the conveyor to the; grain when theelevator is in operation.

4.. A portable elevator for elevating material piled on the. ground anddelivering it. to a. desired receptacle comprising" a mobile chassis, aplat.- format the rear of said chassis, means for raising orloweringsaid platform with respect to said chassis; scoop means. adjustablymounted on said platform and adapted to be adjusted to-substam tiallyground-engaging position when the platform is lowered, a worm conveyorextending transversely of said scoop means and positioned therein, saidworm conveyor being adapted to catch up material forced into said scoopmeans when the mobile chassis is moved rearwardly with the platform andscoop means in depressed position intoa pile of material on the ground,av riser. worm'conveyor communicating with said transverse wormconveyor, and means for adjustably supporting said riser worm conveyorin vertically inclined position with its upper end adapted to bepositioned over a receptacle into which it is de sired to deliver thematerial, said. adjustable supporting means consistingof a verticalsupport having its lower end rigidlysecured to said mobile chassis, anda vertically inclined slot in its other end adapted to slidably receivetherein a trans.- Verse bolt carried by said riser worm conveyor.

ROBERT CIJNTONT ADAMS;

